


After All No One Will Notice…

by LonelyPirate



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: AU when Jonah takes over Elias and Michael goes in the distortion around the same time, Cute, Friendship, Humor, I literally googled 90’s slang for this fic, Jonah loves making subtle hints to Elias about his future, M/M, No beta we kayak like Tim, Not cannon compliant because I didn’t check when was Michael taken by the spiral, OG Elias Bouchard, Pre-Jonah Elias, Weed, for some reason I thought it was also in the nineties, gertrude's era archives, just Michael and Elias being friends, oh well, pre-distortion michael, regular day at the Magnus Institute, small cannon divergence, small hints at future angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:09:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28909116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonelyPirate/pseuds/LonelyPirate
Summary: Elias Bouchard and Michael Shelley did not have very much in common. Just that neither of them got any friends or living family they were in touch with. It was more friendship of convenience than anything else. Because it is nice to know that there would be at least one person who would miss you if you disappeared…
Relationships: Elias Bouchard & Michael Shelley, Elias Bouchard/Michael Shelley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	After All No One Will Notice…

**Author's Note:**

> I put it in the tags but I rather repeat it here – this fic got a small (big?) cannon divergence since I started writing it in an illusion that Michael was thrown in the Spiral in the nineties. I don’t really know how I got the idea but yeah, somehow I thouth it was perfectly possible that the Elias' body getting snatched by Jonah happened around the same time Michael was eaten by Distortion. So bear this in mind while reading and I'm once again sorry. But really the Gertrude's era archives timeline is a bit of mess anyway.  
> I mean once there is said that Fiona died in 2003. And Michael was the replacement for her. But Delano mentioned Michael in his statement too and he blinded himself and then was killed in the nineties didn’t he? (I believe Jonny forgot that bit with Fiona as well as he forgot the three gunshots. It was afterall mentioned very briefly in the first season but yeah it makes timeline a bit confusing.)  
> Also English is not my first language so feel free to point out any grammar mistakes or typos.

It is not any unusual day in the Magnus institute. Not any more unusual than any other in any way. It’s one of those days which pass without anything remarkable happening. One of those days that are easy to forget especially in the colorful history of all the other things happening under the roof of the temple of the Beholding. Why would anyone bother to remember after all? That day hasn’t happened absolutely anything yet. (And it will stay that way.)

“I brought you the files you wanted,” young man with long blond hair, colorful shirt and cheerful smile raises victoriously a pile of papers with all the research he’s done. He slightly stumbles under its weight but in the end he manages to put it on the table of his superior, head archivist of the Magnus institute. The lady behind the table, who is not exactly young but also not exactly old yet, gives him approving nod.

“Thank you, Michael.”

“Anything else I can do for you, Miss Robinson?”

“No. No, I think this is all. Take a break,” after one look at a clock on the wall of her office Gertrude Robinson dismisses her archival assistant.

“There is no need to… oh…” Michael’s eyes also wander to the clock and it is the time of his usual lunch break. He will be late.

“Okay! I’ll be-… I won’t take long!”

“There is no need to rush. Take your time,” the head archivist smiles as Michael is turning around. It is a bit odd she is usually persistent about him being punctual. Also she smiles rarely even Emma her favorite can call herself lucky any time she receives one of Miss Robinson’s smiles. But Michael doesn’t bother to think about it too deeply. Maybe even she deems pointless to start working on anything new if they will really be away as long as she is expecting. And maybe his boss is starting to be fond of him. After all she picked him of all people to go on that work trip with her. Well he can always hope.

He stops at the archival break room which is small hardly good enough to make some tea or coffee. He opens fridge and grabs sandwiches he put there in the morning. Then he heads to shared office the three archival assistants.

“Sup, Sarah,” Michael nods at his coworker as he is taking off his coat form his chair.

“Morning Michael,” Sarah greets him back absentmindedly.

“Actually it us noon…”

“It is? Sorry I’ve been working longer than I thought,” Michael is a bit tempted to ask her how long she is exactly working when she assumed it was _only_ morning but he doesn’t. Sarah is not the one to take advice about her working regime to her heart anyways. And it really isn’t Michael’s concern. They were getting along just fine but they were still nothing more than just coworkers.

“Preparing for some new monster hunting with Emma?”

“Well, you and Miss Robinson cannot have all the fun just for yourself.”

He’s really glad he is going with Miss Robinson. He doesn’t like Emma Harvey very much. They are getting along fine it’s just… something in the way she always looks at him. Like she _knows_ something he does not. No, not even like that, like he _is_ an object of her research instead of whatever statement they’re actually looking into at the moment. It is a bit unnerving but he never dares to complain because it all might just be his paranoia.

Anyway looking at the clocks again he doesn’t really have time to keep chatting with Sarah or thinking about Emma.

“Have fun with your research. And on your spooky trip. I have to go now,” he waves at his coworker. Partly already in his coat he runs out of the door.

“Right, it’s noon. Enjoy your date with Elias,” Sarah calls after him. Probably jealous that unlike her he actually has friends. One friend. Sort of.

“It is not a date,” he doesn’t have time for any longer answer because he’s already rushing through the corridor, up the stairs all the way past the artifact storage, then library, research department to the back emergency exit of the Magnus institute.

Michael is always taking his lunch together with Elias Bouchard former filling clerk from artifact storage, lately promoted to newest assistant of the head of the institute and the person with the worst working morale he ever met. He couldn’t even count the number of times he’s come to work high. That’s the reason why Michael has to take his lunch outside because for Elias lunch break seemed to be synonym for _‘smoke break I am actually allowed to have’_. Michael doesn’t smoke but he prefers the cold and windy autumn air over the heavy and dusty one in the archives anyway. He would say it was nice to breathe some fresh air but it could be hardly called fresh while sitting next to Elias smoking weed or whatever. But he doesn’t really care.

He is surprised to arrive at their spot first because he’s already seven minutes late. And Elias usually took twice as much time for his lunch break as he was supposed to. He is usually already finishing first joint when Michael joins him and lighting up his last just as he’s leaving.

But sooner than he has time to get worried if his usual companion hasn’t found someone else to spend his break with (he always claims to have plenty of other friend but Michael has his doubts. why would hang out with him if he got other options?) the man in question finally arrives. The brunet is almost a head shorter than him. He has not shaved today and there are circles under his eyes.

“You look tired, Bouchard,” Michael greets with a grin because it is refreshing for once not being the one on the edge of exhaustion. (Because apparently he is only one from the archives who seems to need to rest sometimes and who doesn’t live from the sheer paranormal enthusiasm or whatever is keeping all the others going. He’s often the last one arriving at work and the first one leaving and yet he always feels so exhausted.)

“Yes, Wright is trying to drown me under a paper work,” Elias growls packed joint of weed already in hand fishing up his lighter.

Michael gasps. “Don’t tell me that you are actually forced to…” he pauses dramatically, “do your work? Scandalous!”

“Haha. Very funny,” Elias answers dryly as he descents on the stairs. Michael sits down next to him ignoring the mean looks his pal is giving him.

“So how does it feel to be the chosen one? Catching an eye of our great leader James Wright himself?” he has to ask because all jokes aside he is genuinely curious about the promotion of the greatest slacker in the whole institute.

The new assistant of James Wright takes his time with his answers. He takes in few deep breaths and holds the smoke in for a moment and before he slowly lets out the dark grey cloud. He seems to be a bit calmer now. “It’s hell really. I was perfectly happy in the artifact storage just keeping track over all the junk we got there but no. From all the people working in this bloody institute Wright has to choose me as his potential ‘successor’,” he does dramatic quotation “Which would be cool if he, you know, just handed me the job and said: ‘have fun’. But he is only teaching me how to fill his paperwork. He is all budget this and funding that… And if I make mistake anywhere he forces me to redo it all over again.”

To be fair Michael also preferred when Elias used to work at artifact storage because it gave them much more opportunities to hang out together even in the work time. Michael never dared to slack off to the degree of Elias of course but it might had happened that they were more chatting then looking around when he was sent to obtain some cursed object relevant to the statement. Or that he was not particularly rushing Elias when he was a bit slower looking through some files checking if some spooky thing ever was in their possession or not. Or sometimes Elias literally just came down to the archives because he allegedly was done with his work and offered him his help. The said ‘help’ contained mostly from looking over Michael shoulder, dismissing any given statement and theorizing what drug was statement giver onto (Miss Robinson wasn’t particularly thrilled or appreciative of it.)

So yeah, overall that guy has been much more likely to get fired than promoted.

“He keeps talking about the great potential I have and what I can become. That all I need is someone to lead me. Or whatever.” he takes another deep breath from the smoke, “I bet he just wants someone to do his job and all that successor crap is only how he tries to motivate me. But honestly? Most of his encouragements sound more threatening than anything. That I will be a different man when he’s finished with me. That I will soon see the world with his eyes…”

“Cryptic. And yeah a bit creepy,” Michael nods since he really has nothing better to say. He usually does his best to keep out of Wright’s way so he cannot really judge what he’s like. Elias gets out thermos with coffee which together with weed seemed to be his usual lunch. Sometimes Michael offers him sandwich. And sometimes Elias takes one. Although it usually is not at the times Michael offers it.

“Right? He really makes me consider quitting,” Bouchard pours the coffee to the cup of his thermos and takes a sip of it. It’s too hot to be attempted to drink in any other way than a small sips. He hands the cup to Michael who repeats the action of his companion. His lips touch the cup on the same spot. The coffee is as dark and bitter as the weather at this time of year. The exact way Elias likes it. Michael would prefer a bit of milk and sugar but he never says anything out loud. So Elias might as well assume he enjoys coffee the same way as him.

“I wouldn’t be worried he gives up soon enough. It cannot take that long till he sees what a lost case you really are.”

“Piss off,” Bouchard takes a last sandwich right from his hand. He starts eating it not minding that the archival assistant already took a bite at that one.

“Will do. I am leaving tomorrow for another… you know, work trip.” Michael tends to avoid words as investigation because he is talking to probably the biggest skeptic in this institute.

“You do?” Elias raises eyebrows. There is accusation in his face because he hasn’t been informed about it sooner.

“It’s kind of sudden. Should be quite long one too this time. Something in Russia... or at least the name sounds really Russian? Maybe it is some island nearby… something on the north for sure I was told to pack the warmest clothes I have. But Miss Robinson hasn’t shared any details with me yet.”

“I was about to wish you bon voyage but it sounds like horrible place for vacation,” Bouchard laughs. Then he inhales some more smoke putting on a thoughtful look. “Even though considering my new working position… you got me Shelley, I am actually jealous of your job for once. No really. I am begging you, let me go with your old witch of a boss on the monster hunting in Russia instead of you.”

“Miss Robinson is no witch. And I don’t think she would approve.”

“Still got that level of creepy. The stares she gives me…”

“Yes, because you usually have no business in the archives you are just distracting me from work. It’s no surprise that she’s not very fond of you.”

“I would do my job if it, you know, was not kind of pointless!” Archival assistant rolls eyes over too well known rant of his friend. He heard it way too many times. “I tried to suggest it even to Mr Wright since my promotion.”

“You did what?”

“You know I just shared with him my opinion about this institute being yet another pointless organization in our capitalistic society fabricating yet another distraction from the real issues. Let’s say he was not very impressed. Though I would say he looked almost mildly amused…”

“God how you even got that job,” Michael laughs and he would really love to see how Elias is giving his semi-skeptic and socialist speech to their old upper class white male boss who the most certainly is a tory.

“Bites me,” Elias shrugs.

“No, really, you never even told me how you caught his eye. Did he just come to artifact storage pointed finger at you and was all: ‘this, this lazy wanker will be my successor’?” Bouchard punches his arm. But then he frowns recalling the details.

“Uh, pretty much? He announced one day that he’s looking for assistant who would more closely help him with his work, running of the institute, learning how the things work and so on,” he finishes his joint. He’s looking at the butt of it for a while before he lets it fall down on the stairs. “He said something about looking at our performance review. So when he called me shortly after that to his office I suspected that he’s gonna express some concern about my working ethics and, you know, just give me ‘the talk’. But no? Apparently somewhere in the middle of the slacking off, too long pauses and complaints that I disturb _someone’s_ archival assistants in their work he decided he saw ‘great potential’.”

“That sounds kinda unusual?”

“Yeah, he asked me briefly about my motivation, expectation from life, also some weird stuff about family, friends, lifestyle and then,” there is already new joint in his hand, “he offered me a job. Or more like announced it; it didn’t feel like the offer was negotiable.”

“He probably decided to choose you just because he felt so sorry for you.” Michael offers with a chuckle.

“Yes, I bet he felt especially sorry when I told him that I only hang out with the biggest loser from the archives,” Elias grins back. And Michael should probably not feel so pleased that no matter of his oh-so-cool demeanor Elias really considers him a friend.

“Maybe he is some weird monster and wants to eat you or something? And he was asking if anyone will notice when you disappear?”

“Archives are getting on your brain again, Michael,” Bouchard rolls his eyes and it is probably fair since the suggestion is meant in humor anyway. Of course that Michael does not directly belief in the supernatural he isn’t stupid. Even though it’s quite just hard sometimes retell certain things without using words associated with ghosts, monsters and things as such in general…

“Don’t worry, when I return and won’t find you around here I will just assume he kidnapped you and stole your soul or something,” he announces with overplayed seriousness to make it clear he does not believe anything like that could ever happen. Because even if Wright is a bit weird and unsettling he is not any soul eating monster because nothing such as soul eating monsters exists in the first place. Most probably. “And of course, I will fight him and safe you!”

“Sure thing…”

“Hey, I mean it, I would miss you. How could I even eat my lunch without taste of the weed smoke in my mouth?”

“Fine, fine, my white knight.” Bouchard starts laughing. Which turns to cough pretty quickly since he hasn’t breathed out all the smoke from his lungs. “If you won’t return I promise to go looking for you too. I will look all over… where are you going again?”

“Wow, I have already so much trust in you,” Michael chuckles. Elias hits his shoulder smiling as well.

“Shut up.”

“It’s Russia by the way.”

“Bloody hell, you have to choose to biggest country to get lost in right?”

“I’m not lost yet… And I don’t plan to. What would even be my chances if I had to rely on you? Guy who once got literally lost in the library?” It his defense he was really high at the time.

“It happened one time Shelley! One time! And you never shut up about it!” Bouchard tries to hit him again but he gets up quickly enough to dodge him. As much as fun as this is he should head back to the archives nonetheless. He’s already a bit late and no matter what Gertrude said him before about how he can ‘take his time’ he really doesn’t want to push his luck especially now right before the indefinite amount of time on their work trip he is going to spend with her.

“Smell you later.”

“Bye loser, see you in few weeks.”

“Try not to over work yourself in the meantime, Bouchard. Or get eaten by our secretly evil boss!”

“Only one who will get eaten by some monster is you, Shelley!”

“Try not to miss me too much!”

“As if!”

Michael is still grinning when he’s descending back down to the archives. The one caused by casual chat with friend. The one not caused by any specific joke said but by the fact that he got friend. That he got someone who would really notice if he went missing. Not like he is planning to of course. Still it is nice.

To know there is someone who cares about you.

**Author's Note:**

> I still cannot believe that I finished this fanfic sooner than any of my JonMartin or LonelyEyes fanfics. But it seems somewhat appropriate. Would you believe that fanart of og Elias and og Michale was basically what got me into the Magnus archives? Why is this ship not more popular? Anyway comments and kudos appreciated. Please, even criticism. Especially criticism.


End file.
